I think the name says it all. Bring a bottle of vodka and/or wine and leave the bullshit, ignorance, and machismo at the door. This is just a place for me to rant, show my likes and dislikes and hopefully strike up some dialogs.

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

I have always believed that most problems that occur within the human body can be solved and/or prevented by the diet we consume, and this leads credence to that idea. Part of the problem today, is that the many in the medical industry are such pharmaceutical whores, that natural, safer and cheaper alternatives to expensive medicines are often bypassed for pills. But all blame does not lay with the doctors. As a society, Americans are selfish and lazy in the sense we would prefer an easy antidote to our problems, that might have more harmful side effects rather than change our eating habits, get some exercise, or do some home research. I'll stick with my methods for now, as far as I know watermelon doesn't have the side effect of turning your vision blue, or causing a longer than usual erection!

Want to get in the mood? Forget oysters. Science Daily is reporting that watermelon may have Viagra-like effects on the body. Researchers say watermelon relaxes blood vessels, much like Viagra does, and may even increase libido.

"The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body," said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.

Watermelon contains the nutrient citrulline. When watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine. "Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," Patil says. "Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects." He recommends storing the uncut watermelon at room temperature before eating for maximum health benefits.

So go ahead -- add a watermelon to your Fourth of July shopping list. We guarantee you'll be seeing fireworks.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy Targets Women More Than MenBy L.K. ReganPublished Jun 23, 2008An extensive study of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy has found a potentially surprising effect—that lesbians are much more likely than gay men to be targeted by the policy, which mandates dismissing any personnel discovered to be gay or lesbian, The New York Times reports. The study used information gathered under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a policy advocacy group.

Women make up 14 percent of Army personnel, but represent 46 percent of those dismissed under DADT. Similarly, 20 percent of Air Force personnel are women, but 49 percent of its discharges under DADT were lesbians. These numbers do not gel with discharges in general: in 2006, 35 percent of those discharged from the Army, and 36 percent of those discharged from the Air Force, were women. And, of course, these numbers are themselves skewed by DADT.

Aubrey Sarvis, the Servicemenbers Legal Defense Network's executive director, pointed out that, "Women make up 15 percent of the armed forces, so to find they represent nearly 50 percent of Army and Air Force discharges under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is shocking. Women in particular have been caught in the crosshairs of this counterproductive law."

The armed services dismiss an average of nearly two service members per day under DADT, with 627 dismissals in 2007, up slightly from 612 the year before. Both of these numbers, however, are only about half the averages seen before the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Still, despite the obvious current stresses on the military, DADT continues to be implemented.

The Army had the highest number of DADT discharges in 2007, shedding 302 soldiers under the policy. This was 22 more than the year before. The Marine Corps was up four from 2006, with 68 DADT discharges. The Navy held steady with 166, while the Air Force was down slightly with 91 dismissals compared to 2006's 102.

The study offered no answers as to why lesbians are targeted more than gay men under DADT—though to ask a question about reason with regard to a discriminatory and arbitrary policy may not be productive anyway. Certainly the policy is itself counter-productive: 41,000 new recruits could be found if the military would end the policy, a study conducted last year for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network concluded.